Lake Providence is a few miles south of the boundary line between Arkansas and Louisiana. It is situated in Carroll parish, Louisiana, about one mile west of the Mississippi river, and about seventy-five miles above Vicksburg. It is about six miles in length. Two streams flow out of the lake to the south, Moon bayou and Tensas river. The former, after running about a hundred miles, unites with the latter. The two continue south, and unite with the Washita, and are called after the junction, Black river. By cutting a channel from the Mississippi to Lake Providence, General Grant thought a communication might be had through that lake down the Tensas and Black into the Red river, and thence through the Atchafalaya, with General Banks at New Orleans. This route avoided the batteries of Vicksburg and Port Hudson. The canal to the lake was finished so as to let in water on the 16th of March. The flood was so great as to inundate a large district of country, some of which was fine land for growing cotton. Some boats passed into Lake Providence, but the uncertainty of the channel of the Tensas river, and the interest which was now excited by the Yazoo Pass expedition, together with the unimportant results to be anticipated by removing a large force to the Red river or below, caused a diversion from this route to others presenting more certain prospects of success against Vicksburg. Eight miles below Helena, in Arkansas, and on the opposite side of the river, is a little lake, known as Moon lake. The passage from the Mississippi across the lake to the mouth of the Yazoo Pass is about eight miles; thence through the Pass proper to the Coldwater river, twelve miles. The Coldwater, a narrow stream, runs south, empties into the Tallahatchie, which continues to flow south, and unites with the Yallobusha, forming the Yazoo river, which empties into the Mississippi a few miles above Vicksburg. Another important operation took place on the 14th of March, which had much to do with the success of General Grant’s movements. Admiral Farragut, with his fleet, attacked Port Hudson, and the flagship succeeded in running past the batteries and arriving before Warrenton, when he communicated with the fleet above. Shortly after this Admiral Porter succeeded in running some of his fleet down to the assistance of Farragut, and the united fleets began operating upon the river between Vicksburg and Port Hudson, cutting off the communications of the rebels with Louisiana, and making important military movements on the Louisiana shore.